Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid and feature reporter Melanie Lidman join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Magid talks about former treasury secretary Jack Lew, an Orthodox Jew who is the current frontrunner for US ambassador to Israel. Lew was chief of staff for former President Barack Obama and has been critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the past.

Magid also discusses comments made by two Democrat lawmakers who are perturbed that President Joe Biden's White House is moving ahead with the Visa Waiver Program and the Saudi normalization deal for Israel -- two projects that Netanyahu is eager to finalize -- despite the administration's continued frustration with Netanyahu's right-wing government.

Lidman speaks about the painstaking renovation work that was undertaken at Jerusalem's Church of Holy Sepulchre in the Old City, one of Christianity’s oldest sites. It's a complicated process given the handful of churches that wield control over the holy site.

Lidman also talks about an archaeological find near Kiryat Gat, where the region's most ancient city gate was found, unfolding new information about the establishment of cities and urban environments earlier than was previously thought.

Discussed articles include:

Former treasury secretary Jack Lew frontrunner for next US ambassador

Some Democrats ‘dumbfounded’ by Biden’s willingness to hand major gifts to Netanyahu

Round-the-clock excavations at Church of Holy Sepulchre yield historical treasures

Discovery of Israel’s oldest gate resets clock on local urbanization by centuries

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IMAGE: Christian worshippers take part in the Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City during the Easter holiday on April 15, 2023 (Photo by Jamal Awad/Flash90)

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